Some beauty is sublime….it transcends words….Shahara has just such a beauty….she is graceful and laughs easily…as though her heart dictates her movements….this must be one of the reasons she caught the eye and heart of NBA star Elton Brand….their courtship started long ago & continues strong today….they exchanged wedding vows at the divine Biltmore Estate in North Carolina….their wedding & all the details were beautifully executed by Lisa Vorce of Oh, How Charming…..Shahara wore a beautiful Monique Lhuillier dress that seemed to be made just for her body…Elton wore a gorgeous smile all day long…..the two committed theirlives to each other under the warm southern sky….and recently welcomed their first child into the world….just as beauty can be sublime, so can love…and their love is simply sublime….20,000 kisses later and counting…..

kiss & tell“Our first kiss was 10 years ago…over an estimated 20,000 kisses ago… “good morning”, “good night”, “see ya later”, “honey, you’re home!”, “I love you”, “thank you honey”, “you’re so sweet”…you name it, we kissed it. Some may say the quality of a kiss is better than the quantity. I would normally agree, but fortunately I don’t have to make that distinction with the kisses from my love. Each was more delicious than the last. Even with the less exciting “I’m sorry, honey” and the “it’s ok” kisses, I felt love rooted in each one. This is one of the defining things about our relationship, and that which I will look forward to in the next 10 years, and in 50 years when we will perhaps mark our 1,020,000th kiss.”

sheridan & bo had a beautiful destination wedding at the four seasons biltmore in santa barbara…..their ceremony was a reflection of their elegant sense of style & gentle affection for one another…. their june garden ceremony was planned by rebecca gigandet at imagine….sheridan was stunning in her elizabeth fillmore gown & a one of a kind headpiece from the amazing leah c… mindy rice created sheridan’s beautiful bouquet of white peonies & all of the other lush florals…more of sheidan & bo’s wedding can be seen in a stunning six page spread in the winter 2009 issue of elegant bride magazine…it was such a pleasure to be part of such an incredibly special & beautiful wedding…

on a very sweet note…sheridan & bo are expecting their first child very soon…..xoxo

wedding photographs are so special…it is so important to be sure you are getting just what you want….many people struggle with this decision…especially when it comes to film vs. digital photographs…the truth is they are both beautiful…in different ways….each photographer chooses their tool based on their own personal preferences….so when deciding on a wedding photographer, pay attention to what images you are most drawn to….don’t get hung up on how they were shot….digital images can be made into prints & negatives can be scanned to create digital files….so follow your heart & choose the photographer & images that feel like the best fit for you, regardless of how they make photographs…..

so you are having a baby….and before you know it you are celebrating your baby’s first birthday….there is something so special about that 1st birthday….and even though it may be too much to have a big party for your little one….you simply have to have a cake & a little family celebration….one of my favorite things to do for my children is make some kind of theme cake….one year a dinosaur cake for my son and for my daughter a rubber ducky cake (shown above)….the rubber ducky cake was a big hit, after my two year old celebrated & ate her special cake, she got to take a bubble bath with her new rubber ducky…..

and remember….an older sibling may have trouble mustering up the same enthusiasm you have…i try to include my older ones in the cake making process….this seems to help get them on board….nothing like liking the bowl to improve anybody’s mood….

i am also a big fan of the birthday portrait….i love to honor every occasion with photographs….

enjoy your cake….and as you lay your little one down to sleep….look forward
to another year, another cake and count your many blessings….

THANK YOU to everyone for your lovely comments about kissing…there were so many sweet thoughts…it was hard to choose….here is the winning kiss comment….jenn’s fiance is far away…and her story just tugged at my heart…i think you’ll agree……

“My favorite thing about kissing is just how good a kiss is after having gone months without my fiance. He’s deployed to Iraq right now, and has been there for almost a year. We were long distance before that, so we know a thing or two about kissing after a long time away. You build it up and dream about that kiss for months, and when it finally comes, it really was worth the wait– because of just how much it means to kiss each other. It’s almost like the first kiss all over again. So hands down, that’s what I love the most.”

we will be having another unbelievable giveaway soon….so keep an eye out….xoxo

style is so personal….so subjective….every woman has her own innate sense of style….your wedding is the perfect place to let all of your stylish impulses come out….whether you are in a little white dress & barefoot on the beach….or snug in a satin corset & a pair of stilettos….be completely and utterly yourself…all dressed up & happy….there is no perfect style…just a style that is perfect for you….xoxo

be sure to embrace the details…from your lips waiting to be kissed…..to your manicured toes….and every wrap, headpiece and bouquet in between….each detail says something about you and your style….have fun & remember you are simply beautiful….inside and out…xoxo

a little more sweetness...

red is for roses……and lots of other lovely things….there are so many ways to bring color into your wedding….sometimes the smallest most natural things can be so beautiful….red is warm and often playful but can also be sultry & moody….sometimes adding a little unexpected color can be really fun…like the perfect pair of red shoes under a traditional wedding gown….or a jug full of wild flowers on a plain linen table cloth….

INDIA is a country with immense beauty and many layers of spirituality, poverty and heart moving stories…..Slumdog Millionaire captures all of this and more….the beautiful imagery & heartfelt dialog in this movie take you along for the journey of a young boy, Jamel’s life….as he becomes a man & searches for the love of his life, Latika….the film is magical and raw….and the music in fantastic….my favorite part of the movie…is the very last scene…the very last frame to be exact….captures Jamel & Latika’s first kiss….it’s perfect!!

i spent some time photographing in India & in honor of Slumdog Millionaire here are some of my favorites……

my time in India was indescribable…truly life changing…i visited many temples & wandered the streets, camera in hand….i drank hundreds of cups of tea….and felt honored to be greeted with such warmth by so many people….Slumdog Millionaire transported me back to India & reminded me of what an amazing place it is…if you have not seen this movie yet…do so, give your self the gift of spending two hours with Jamel & Latika….and witness firsthand one of the most wonderful first kisses ever…..

i’ll be watching the Oscars tonight with fingers crossed…..xoxo…elizabeth

there is an indescribable difference between boys & girls….sometimes very subtle…and other times not so subtle….i give my son just as many hugs and kisses as my daughters….and yet he is utterly and completely different from the girls….i am often in awe of his energy….and his ability to play basketball with an imaginary team for hours on end….but i think what really sums it up more than anything, is the joy he gets from playing with his dinosaurs on the dining room table….i imagine the feeling he gets is perhaps close to how i feel in a new pair of pretty shoes….so i let him play dinosaurs as long as he likes and smother him in affection whenever he lets me….

i had insisted many times that we were just going to be friends….but lying there in the pitch black…right next to each other….noses inches apart…..i was suddenly desperate for him to kiss me…..

i could feel his warmth….his breath….his smell was intoxicating….my heart was beating so fast, i was sure he could here it…..every ounce of my will power was being used to keep me in place, so i would not lean into him….as ‘please kiss me’ continued to run through my head on repeat….then it happened…his warm lips pressed against mine…so soft…his hands on my hips pulling my body towards him….the first touch of his lips sent chills through my entire body….my arms wrapped tightly around his back & neck….we could not let go….”

-sheridan

(to see more of sheridan & bo’s beautiful wedding check out the current issue of elegant bride)